Friday, July 20
The Gift of Intercessory Prayer
Narrative Lectionary Daily Devotions written by Kace Leetch from Clergy Stuff.
When we pray, God hears us. 1 John encouraged people to pray, not only for their needs, but for the needs, healing, and forgiveness of others. We call this intercessory prayer -- praying for others.
In my first congregation, there was a group of prayer warriors -- women who were gifted and charged with the task of praying for others. These were not your typical prayer/gossip chain pray-ers. No, these women truly had the gift of intercessory prayer. Often the pastoral staff, with permission, would request that these women pray for members of the congregation who were in dire need of a miracle. And regularly, miracles would happen. People who should have died lived. People who should have gotten sicker got better.
Not everyone has the gift of intercessory prayer the way these women do. But we all can pray for others. We don't need the gift to fulfill our calling to have each others' backs. Who will you pray for today?
Narrative Lectionary Text: 1 John 5:14-17
And this is the boldness we have in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have obtained the requests made of him. If you see your brother or sister committing what is not a mortal sin, you will ask, and God will give life to such a one—to those whose sin is not mortal. There is sin that is mortal; I do not say that you should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that is not mortal.